Inside this edition
Octagon Barn hosts third annual Barn Sale
Art from Around the Valley: Jen Salt’s Mothers Day
RVHS Spring Sports snapshots, scores
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Spring Green, Wisconsin
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Vol. 2, No. 19 Free, Single-Copy
Local citizens, state activist group hold BadgerCare rally in Spring Green Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief Citizen Action of Wisconsin, along with various area residents held a rally in May 5 in Spring Green to show support for BadgerCare expansion in the state 2021-2023 biennial budget, a single day before State Sen. Howard Marklein and the Committee on Joint Finance took its first votes to bring the budget “back to basics,” removing those expansions. Roughly 25-30 people met at North Park in Spring Green with signs and a plan to speak on why BadgerCare expansion is importance to them and the state. Speakers included organizer, Ben Wilson, Citizen Action of Wisconsin Driftless co-op organizer, Marie Raboin, owner of Brix Cider in Mount Horeb, Dr. Mark Neumann, a retired physician turned healthcare activist, Area residents Joni Anderson and Timm Zumm, who shared his story about currently going without healthcare. “Most people around here know me as the President of the Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway, the volunteer group that works to protect the beautiful lower Wisconsin river. One of our challenges is finding people who can volunteer, who can afford to work for nothing,” said Zumm. “The Affordable Care Act helped me out alot, but if you make $8 an hour, working 40 hours a week, you don’t qualify for BadgerCare. You can’t live on $8 an hour. There’s just no good reason not to have it.” Attendees were invited to speak as well. Expansions the group advocated
Photo via Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief Area residents and Citizen Action of Wisconsin organizers met at North Part for a rally advocating for BadgerCare expansion on May 5. for included the possibility for $1.6 billion in new federal funding for the state and expanding eligibility for BadgerCare healthcare coverage for 90,000 Wisconsinites. Following speeches, rally organizers and attendees planted 100 mini American Flags along the sidewalk at North Park, each flag representing 900 state residents that would be eligible under the proposed expansion.
Ben Wilson, organizer for the event said the group chose to hold the rally in Spring Green because it is part of the 17th senate district, and Sen. Howard Marklein’s hometown. Marklein is co-chairman of the Joint Finance Committee. Wilson stated that Marklein was not formally invited to attend the rally, but claims he was aware of the event. On May 6, the day of the JFC’s
votes, Marklein released an official statement regarding the budget process and the committee’s votes on Gov. Tony Evers’ Badger Bounceback proposals. “Today, the Joint Committee on Finance took the first votes in the budget process. We returned to base budget which means that
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Arena re-appoints trustee after failed attempt, enacts ordinance that raises oversight questions Nicole Aimone, Editor-in-Chief The Arena Village Board met for their regular monthly meeting May 4 to attempt to fix a failed trustee appointment, fill another vacancy and take up an ordinance that looks to streamline claims against the village, in a meeting that saw disputes raised in everything from the approval of the agenda to public comment.
Trustee (re)appointment
The board first took up action to appoint Rachel DePouw to the open village trustee seat vacated by Jessica Voight, with a term expiring in April 2022. The appointment was previously taken up at the board’s April 13 meeting, in a vote that purported to fill the resulting vacancy, after Village President Kate Reimann
the motion to appoint DePouw had passed. An analysis by Valley Sentinel found that the vote didn’t include enough trustees to meet the statutory requirement to fill the position, rendering the appointment functionally void. The appointment was taken up at this meeting and passed unanimously, with DePouw filling the vacancy and again taking the oath of office. Village Clerk DeNean Naeger has not responded to emails seeking information on the process the appointment went through to initially appear on the agenda. Typically, interested residents have submitted letters of interest and appeared before the board under a general appointment agenda item.
Agenda dispute
The board then took up the ap-
proval of the meeting agenda, with Reimann quickly making a motion to approve the agenda excluding a new business item requested by Trustee Paul Pustina that would have discussed the issuing of permits that fall under the village building inspector’s duties. “We don’t have any information, I mean I know you asked for this to be put on, but next month we can put it back on if you have information to share with us so that we’re prepared,” stated Reimann. Reimann explained that Pustina had failed to provide any context for the agenda item, with Pustina stating the agenda item was requested to ask questions. “I had questions, that’s why it’s under discussion,” Pustina shared. “Well we need information,” Rei-
mann responded, before moving into a vote without further discussion. The agenda passed as amended, with only Pustina dissenting.
Public comment dispute
Among public comments, the board heard from current plan commission member and former trustee, finance committee chair and president pro tem Melissa Bandell, who passed out a statement to the board. Bandell shared that she felt harassed by Pustina, who she said had contacted her requesting her direct supervisor’s contact information at her employer, among other actions she felt constituted stalking and harassment. Bandell further requested no contact from Pustina, warning
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